Spicy Corn Fritters - part of my quick meals series

I'm often asked for recipes for quick and nutritious meals. I have promised friends, family and participants on the retreats that I cater for that I will post some ideas for simple meals to prepare.

The other common request is from women wanting ideas to encourage their kids and husbands to eat more healthily.

I think this fritter recipe may meet both requests; healthy, quick and tasty!
I have been making these little fritters for retreats for years and people just seem to love them. I remember my mum making corn fritters
when we were kids. I loved them and I loved my mum for cooking them. They were 'fun' food, a little different from our usual meals of roast chicken or chops. I'm guessing  mum would have made them with wheat flour but I have always used besan flour (chickpea flour or in the United States, garbanzo flour) which makes them gluten free as well as a little healthier.

They can make a quick lunch snack and are a fabulous plate to share with friends on a picnic or whenever you're asked to take a plate of food to a party, as is common in this part of the world.


Spicy Corn Fritters  Makes aprox = 16

2 corn cobs, de-cobbed
2.5 cups besan flour
1 large onion, finely diced
1.75 cup H2O
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp fennel
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp good salt
1/2 bunch coriander, finely chopped.
1/2 tsp chilli powder or 1 small fresh chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped  *optional

Combine the besan flour, salt and water and  gently beat with a whisk until you have a smooth batter the texture of pancake mixture. Chill the batter while you create the next part of this recipe.

Saute the chopped onion on a medium heat until soft. Add the spices and saute for a further 3-5 mins until spices have released their fragrant aroma and have filled your kitchen with the smell of a curry house. Add the corn and saute for a further minute.

Stir the corn, onion and spices into the batter, add the chopped coriander and mix thoroughly.

Then heat some sunflower or olive oil in a pan (aprox one dessert spoon) until hot but not smoking, then spoon 2 tbs of batter into the pan and gently smooth out evenly. Depending on the size of the pan or what size you want to make the fritters, you may fit 1 to 6 in the pan but be sure to leave enough room to slip a flipper under them and not crowd them out in the pan. The edges may start to cook and little air bubbles may appear. You can peek under the first one to be sure it's golden and brown before you flip it. Once you flip them, gently press them flat to ensure the fritter cooks evenly on the second side.

When they are tanned golden on each side lift of the the pan and place on a absorbent paper towel. They are lovely hot but can also be eaten cold.

These fritters are quick and simple and are fabulous served with a Davidson Plum & cardamom chutney (as in the photo above) or spicy mango chutney, peanut satay sauce or bringal (eggplant) pickle.  Serve them with a side  salad or a pile of steamed vegetables and you have a complete meal.